


A Christmas Promotion

by Dreamin_doin



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Merry Christmas, Plot points from those movies mentioned, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), but not entirely canon compliant, happy new year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-02
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-27 04:32:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13240494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin_doin/pseuds/Dreamin_doin
Summary: Darcy has to prove to her boss that her life is balanced at their holiday party to win a promotion. Enter one fake boyfriend, i.e. Steve Rogers.





	1. Tuesday, December 12th

**Author's Note:**

  * For [barisitrash (bananamangos)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananamangos/gifts).



> Beta'd by my sister, and then one last edit by me. So any left over mistakes are my fault. 
> 
> Barisitrash asked for Darcy needing people to celebrate Christmas with, fake relationships to win a promotion, or a stolen new year's kiss. My brain saw a way to get all three in one story. It ended up a bit longer than I anticipated but hopefully its enjoyable!

The sun was shining through the gray clouds that had been lingering all day when Darcy Lewis walked victoriously out of the Capitol building after having testified to a Congress committee _again_ about Thor, Asgard, and the other “alien” cultures she had encountered traveling with Jane. Though it had never been her intention to become one of the first politically minded individuals to interact with a bunch of unknown cultures when she applied to Jane’s internship, Darcy had to admit that it had its perks. The best of course being that she gained a best friend slash sister and an intergalactic prince who saw her as a sister and advisor. Also high on the list was that said prince, and the representatives from other planets, allowed her to write about them in her thesis making her an expert. This had caused the US ambassador to the UN to hire her—both for policy input and because Sarah Craw was aware that an alien prince was calling her country home for the moment and she wanted to be remembered as someone who took all opinions into consideration.

Darcy is pulled from her thoughts when a winter breeze blows and she realizes that she had left her coat inside. Groaning she turns around, and hurries back inside to grab her coat. When she’s made her way out again, her phone rings and Darcy answers her mother’s call—sure its to discuss the latest family drama leading up to the holidays.

“Hi Mom,” Darcy greets, still upbeat; she loves Christmas and has never minded the way it winds her mom up, unlike her brother.

“Darcy! You answered!”

“Were you hoping I wouldn’t?”

“No, of course not,” Emily Lewis answers shortly, before sighing and admitting, “well…maybe a little. Only because I know you’re going to be disappointed. Dad and I have decided we’re going to take Grandma and Grandpa to Europe over the holidays. They’ve been talking about wanting to go, and see the places their families always talked about for ages and you know they aren’t getting any younger. Plus all my siblings wanted to spend the holidays in a smaller setting. Not that I can blame them with the world almost ending again. But Brian and Nicole are going to her parents’ with the kids and I know you’re so busy, so we decided to go.”

“Oh. Okay…I hope you guys have fun. I guess I’ll have to send Brian everyone’s presents.” Darcy finds a nearby bench and drops down onto it, trying to process her mother’s declaration.

“I’m sorry honey, I know you love Christ-”

“No it’s okay Mom. I’ll figure out something. You’re right, Grandma and Grandpa really want this trip and I’m sure they’ll love going with you guys. I’ll call you later. I’m just getting on the train back to New York and don’t want to be rude.”

After bidding her mother good-bye, and ignoring the side eye of the guy sitting next to her in the park, Darcy stands up and does actually head for the train. While disappointing, the news isn’t exactly a surprise—most of her extended family had been making noise about taking one year to themselves. Still…Darcy had been looking forward to the trip home. Especially after the announcement that Sarah had made yesterday: her chief of staff was retiring, leaving her with a role to fill. She had told everyone that it was a more demanding job than any other position she had on her staff and that while she wanted to promote from within, she would need to see proof at the holiday party shortly after Christmas that the candidate could handle the increased duties by how well they balanced the other aspects of their life. So of course the front-runners were Deborah with her husband, two kids, and dog; and Carlos and his new fiancé Ryan. Darcy was going to ask her mom for advice, but now she wasn’t sure—she didn’t want to distract her from the trip. Darcy spent the train ride texting her older brother, getting the information she needed to send the gifts, and reading. Since she couldn’t think of what to do and asking her mom was out she would just have to ask Jane when she saw her tonight.

 

****

 

Five hours later, after she had gone home and changed into more comfortable clothing, Darcy went to meet Jane. After Darcy had gotten her advanced degree and a job in her area of study, the two women had decided that a standing dinner night was necessary, so they could see each other at least once a week. There were very few Tuesday nights that they cancelled. What made this weekly session possible is that Jane lived in Stark Tower—having finally finished a portal about six months ago between the Tower and the upstate complex allowing her, and a good portion of the Avengers and those who worked for them, to have the best of both worlds and a killer commute. This particular Tuesday night found them in the media room eating pizza and catching up.

“That sucks. Like I get her point but still. You’d manage the hell out of her staff. She’d be the most productive UN ambassador ever. Balance can be displayed in lots of different ways. Like this is balanced! We are friends; we work around our jobs, and other responsibilities to keep up a healthy relationship. What is more balanced? Pray tell.”

“I know Janie. But short of miraculously producing a significant other, I don’t think I’m going to be able to convince Sarah that my life is balanced enough to deserve this promotion.”

“Well then we find you a boyfriend!”

“Whaa??”

Before Darcy can stop her, Jane has popped up off the couch and is racing down to the gym. Like she thought Steve Rogers is still there, working out. Like most of the Avengers, he lived in the city since Jane had made her breakthrough. He and Bucky Barnes had bought a brownstone in Brooklyn and were renovating it in between saving the world. Jane liked him well enough and thought he’d be perfect to help Darcy.

“Steve! Did you mean what you said last week about needing help on Christmas?”

“Uh, hi Jane. Yeah…Bucky and I want to do our own modern Christmas but don’t know where to start really. I thought you said you had to go visit family?”

“I do. But Darcy, who _loves_ all things Christmas, just had her family cancel their Christmas and she needs someone to go with her to her work’s holiday party, preferably as a fake boyfriend that can fade into the background once she gets a promotion. Are you interested?”

Darcy, who had followed Jane in a daze at the suggestion of just _finding_ a boyfriend, tries not to swallow her tongue at Jane’s suggestion. Steve Rogers was the type of guy that Darcy found very attractive but rarely pursued. Kind, courageous, and great looking, Darcy would be devastated if she had asked him out only to have him reject her, so she just didn’t.

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that your family cancelled. I think it sounds like a fair trade though, if you want. Buck and I would just do it ourselves but based on how Halloween and Thanksgiving went, I think we’d do better with some help.” Steve directs his full attention to Darcy, who is struggling to focus a little.

Still she manages to choke out, “Um, yeah. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, like Jane said, so that would be perfect. I really wasn’t looking forward to spending it by myself. And you would be helping me out a lot with the party thing.”

“Great! Let me give you my number. Bucky’s enlisted Nat and Clint to help him with the tree, outside decorations, and presents, but I got put in charge of inside decorations, dinner, and presents. Oh plus, we should probably get to know each other a little bit better if I’m supposed to be a good fake boyfriend.”

“Oh, uh, good point. So have you put up any decorations?” Steve shakes his head no as they exchange phones. “Okay. Well that can be our first ‘date’. Lewis Family Tradition is to decorate and then watch our favorite Christmas movies with delivery and hot chocolate. If you want Bucky, Clint, and Nat can come too. After all if it’s a family thing then they should be involved too.”

“Sounds good. I’ll text you my address. Night ladies,” Steve says cordially before picking up his stuff and heading towards the locker room. Both women bid him a goodbye and return to the media room, Darcy still not quite believing what just happened.


	2. Friday December 15th

Darcy’s Friday passed by her in a blur. There was an early UN meeting and then Sarah had everyone working on policy bios of upcoming meetings for the New Year, determined to be ahead of the 2018 session. She did let everyone leave an hour early so that they could spend time with their families or get much needed shopping done. Darcy used the extra time to text Steve to find out the state of his decoration.

_Hi Steve, I’m looking forward to tonight, are your decorations out of storage?_

**They would be…if I had any. I’m starting from square one, sorry Doll.**

_It’s okay, we’ll get a fresh start this way. I just got off work. Do you have some time to shop?_

**I do! And I happen to be pretty close. I’ll meet you there?**

A few minutes later, just as Darcy is actually walking out the door, she gets another text from Steve announcing his arrival. She spots him almost immediately and heads over to him. Before starting they get a snack for Steve’s metabolism and then they’re off, Darcy dragging Steve behind her—excited for this new challenge.

At home Darcy’s family had seven boxes of Christmas decorations. Two of those boxes were ornaments; the other five were all pure decorations for around the house. They had a whole other shelf just for Christmas lights. The boxes were filled with decorations bought for the Lewis family by friends, neighbors, and other members of the family, and that wasn’t even touching on the ones that Darcy and Brian had made growing up that her mother had saved. Darcy hadn’t had the time to start making her own Christmas collection yet, so Steve’s conundrum presented Darcy with an opportunity.

“So um…should we just go to Target or somethin’? I don’t want to take up too much of your time or anything. We just don’t want our place to look as empty or as under construction as it usually does,” Steve explains to the brunette bundled up by his side as she marches them down the sidewalk, letting Steve’s bulk do the pushing. He worries he might lose her in the rush so he tries to nonchalantly weave his arm through hers. She notices almost instantly and with a laugh, moves their arms so that they end up holding hands. Blushing Steve starts to stammer an explanation but Darcy cuts him off.

“No need to explain Steve. Brian, my brother, still does the same thing with me sometimes. I had a habit of wandering away as a kid, and though I don’t do it now, he’s just never broke the habit. Plus I am short, and there are a lot of people.” She shrugs, then her face turns contemplative. “As for your Target suggestion…it is your house and you are paying for them so if that’s what you really want to do—we’ll do it. But, there’s lots of places that are selling decorations that are seasonally appropriate right now. We might as well go look at them right? Target will always be there, and I’ve got time.”

“Alright. Lets go explore!”

The next few hours passed in a blur, Darcy dragging Steve in and out of stores with even a hint of Christmas in its windows. She asks him questions about his favorite colors, Bucky’s favorite colors, and details about Christmas when they were growing up. He shared stories of good Christmases when he got a baseball mitt or one year a red wagon, and of the Christmases in the 30s and after his mother’s death when the Barnes’ welcomed him in and the gifts consisted of fresh fruit and maybe, if they were lucky, something else. He even shared his story of the first Christmas after he was rescued from the ice.

“I was feeling sad for myself. Missing everyone, not seeing the point, mad at how things had changed. And then Christmas morning…I decided not to be anymore. It was before the Battle of New York so no one knew me. I found a shelter serving Christmas meals, and volunteered the whole day. It did me a lot of good. I’ve gone every year since. That’s actually where I was this morning. Since I’m going to be spending the day with you, Bucky, and maybe Clint and Nat I figured I’d spend a few days there before Christmas this year.”

Darcy throws her arms around Steve, startling him a little bit before he relaxes into her embrace. “You’re a good egg Steve Rogers. I’m glad that you were able to help people and yourself. And I’m very glad to be spending the holiday with you—and Bucky, and maybe Nat and Clint.”

At the end of their shopping spree they walked away with quite a few decorations, more than enough to transform the bachelor pad into something more like the home of Steve’s youth. Darcy and Steve go straight from the stores to his house, ordering their food on the way home so it would be there not long after they arrived. When they pull up Darcy sees the outside decorations she is unofficially competing with; the trio had done a good job of balancing the craziness of Christmas decorations that had become more acceptable lately and the taste that Darcy was fairly confident came from Natasha. There was lighted garland with red bows on the ironwork around the building, and multicolored strings of lights lined most of the ledges of the three-story building. Different from all the other buildings stood a blow up snowman squished in by the door holding a present. Steve shook his head as Darcy stood outside the gate giggling.

“I told Buck I was decoratin’ today so he must have decided he needed to as well. I’m sure Nat was overruled on the snowman.”

At that moment the trio of outside decorators spilled out from the front door in a swirl of heat, voices, and light. They greeted Steve and Darcy by asking them what they thought. Darcy was very enthusiastic in her response, though Steve pressed them on the snowman.

“It was Clint’s idea. Bucky had seen them but didn’t really get them—or where you’d put one outside. I found the spot for it,” Natasha informs Steve, a sly smile playing around her lips. “After all Clint _did_ introduce me to the concept of the modern American Christmas. I fully support the occasionally cheesy addition.”

“Its fantastic! And I think it’ll match what we got splendidly! Did you guys want to stay? Lewis Family Tradition is that everyone decorates, I wouldn’t want anyone to feel left out.”

“Thanks, but we’re starving. We just finished the outside a little bit ago, so I think we’ll be okay.” Bucky answers after a beat where he exchanges glances with Clint and Natasha. Steve and Darcy bid them a good-bye and head into the house.

Darcy decides they have to start upstairs, where they put up hanging wreaths outside all the bedrooms, twinkle lights in the hallway, and garland on the railway lining the stairs. They work their way downstairs slowly. When they reach the living room she adds little Avenger ornaments to the tree. On the tables, counters, and little nooks Darcy drops snowmen, Santas, reindeers, candles, and animals in little scarves. Steve is busy setting up the extensive Christmas village that they had bought—a piece from each store the way Darcy insisted was proper. Steve had worried that it’d end up too mismatched, despite Darcy’s reassurances that that was the intention. Though she did tell him that if he really wanted a complete matching set they could buy one. Taking a break to look over his work and the little village as it currently stood, Steve felt they made the right decision. It looked like an actual town that had changed over time.

Darcy finds the one small box that Steve had managed to fill up in the past four years of Christmases, and the one slightly larger box that Tony had found in storage with Steve’s stuff that he had offered after the Accords were repealed and the Avengers reassembled to save the world. Steve, in turn, had given Tony some letters from Howard, both from during the war and after Steve was lost to the ice; written to keep his friend updated on his life. It was the one place where Howard had allowed himself to praise his son freely, and often, and it had been the source where Steve had gone to learn about Tony after they met. She works them into the new decorations, after offering to put them all together in one section.

She had also snuck some Christmas night lights into their cart at one store so when Steve had gone downstairs to pay for their food, she plugged them in random sockets hoping that they’d spread a little extra cheer. Finally, after adding some more twinkle lights around the living room, they sit with their food and decide which movie they should watch.

“Have you seen any of the Santa Clause movies? Or the Polar Express? Or we could watch an older movie?” Darcy asks, settling to the ground near the coffee table where her food is laid out, Steve doing the same next to her.

“Well does the Lewis Family Tradition dictate a specific movie?” Darcy shakes her head no, smiling, and Steve shrugs. “Lets watch a newer one. I’ve seen Polar Express but not the other ones. Lets start there.”

Darcy starts the first one, and finds she enjoys it even more than normal because of how much Steve likes it. They take a break after the first one ends, to get hot chocolate and make spritz cookies before heading back to the living room to watch the second one. Though they start with a cushion between them on the couch, by the time Scott Calvin is attending Charlie’s meeting with the principal Darcy and Steve have ended up cuddled together, Steve’s arm over the chair. Darcy nods off a little bit after that, though Steve lets her be until the end of the movie where he wakes her gently. While they’re waiting for the Uber that’ll take Darcy home to her apartment, they clean up.

“Hey Darce, thanks for sharing your family tradition with me. I thought maybe if you were up for it I could share some of mine with you?” Steve asks from the sink where’s he cleaning up the cookie mess.

“I’d love that! Would Thursday work okay?”

“Unless we get called out, yeah it should.”

With the notification that her driver’s outside, Darcy has enough time for a quick hug goodbye and then she’s rushing out the door wrapping her scarf around her neck as she hurries down the stairs.

 

 


	3. Thursday December 21st

The next week passed by quickly. The competition had been heating up for the promotion and Darcy was stressed. Deborah had brought in home baked goods almost every day and Ryan had been by to bring Carlos fresh lunches _and_ Carlos had introduced three new policy measures for Sarah’s consideration. Darcy meanwhile had managed to introduce one, and since she didn’t believe in bringing in bribery treats she had worn as many different sorts of holiday sweaters as she could. Today for instance, she was wearing a Winter Solstice one, but she didn’t think that sweaters and a lagging amount of policy introductions were going to win her the promotion. Still Sarah insisted that nothing would be decided until after the holiday party, and Darcy thought Steve would give her a leg up there. Even though she had really only started getting to know Steve a few days ago, it felt like they’d know each other forever. They had spent the week casually texting and playing lots of rounds of 20 Questions in preparation for the party.

In between meetings and trying to come up with more policy prep Darcy spent the day Thursday checking her phone as often as possible to make sure that Steve hadn’t been sent off to go save the world before their pseudo-date. When her phone dinged with a text from him asking her what time she’d like to meet, Darcy let out a sigh of relief, sure that this meant Steve was fairly sure he would get to stay. After she responded, she was able to focus a little more on work. When 5 o’clock hit Darcy walked out of the building to find a bundled up Steve already waiting for her, two cups of hot chocolate in hand. As she walked up to him he handed one of the cups to her.

“How was work?” Steve asks lightly.

“It was okay,” Darcy answers truthfully. “Sarah had a bunch of meetings, and it wasn’t my specialty so I stayed back at the office to work on some other stuff. But my policy proposals are dragging their feet. Unlike the others, who only have to worry about what the country thinks so they can present the US’ views to Sarah, I have to consider Americans, Asgardians, and any other alien cultures who might be affected by what I’m proposing. And I love what I do…but I could use another head to bounce ideas off of. Unfortunately there just isn’t someone. I’ve tried with Jane but she’s just so much more focused on the science. How was your day?”

“Sounds tough. Surely at some point, there’ll be others to help you. You just gotta hold out ‘til then. My day was good. Any day where the world isn’t in danger of ending and needing my help is a good one in my opinion. I just went to the compound today and we did training exercises. Now! Are you ready?”

Darcy nods and they walk off arm in arm, heading west. They stop at a hole in the wall place to get pizza and then continue. When they stop in Rockefeller Plaza, Darcy isn’t entirely surprised. Between the tree, the ice rink, and all the lights, Darcy felt like she was in a movie.

“Buck and I went here in ’37 when it opened. We saved all our scrap change for months; cause Bucky’s sister Becca wanted to go for Christmas and dammit we were going to make it happen. Course none of us had really skated too much before. Central Park didn’t have either of its rinks yet and ice skates were fairly expensive. I wish I had a photo of how excited Becca’s face was Darcy. You woulda liked her, she was always off doing things. A little like Jane. Um so, do you wanna go skate?”

Darcy tries to keep her dislike off her face but she can tell she fails when Steve’s face drops into a look of concern.

“You okay doll?”

“I’m fine,” tries Darcy, her voice a high-pitched squeak. When Steve just continues to stare at her she caves. “Well okay. I’m not _fine._ I just…the last time I skated I ended up with a bruise pretty much down one entire side of my body. I can’t really balance.”

“I won’t let you hurt yourself. I promise. But its up to you, we won’t go if you don’t wanna.”

Darcy waffles back and forth for a minute before finally nodding in fierce determination. “Let’s do it!”

They rent their skates and then Steve leads her carefully onto the ice. For the first two laps Steve lets her hold onto the side of the rink, but on their third time around he coaxes her into holding both his hands, with cheerful reassurances. Darcy looks like she wants to argue, she _knows_ the side is safer but eventually she lets go and grips Steve’s hands so tight that he starts to loose feeling in them just a tiny bit. After a few laps though, when Steve has proven that he won’t let go or make her go too fast she loosens up a little bit and they start to have some fun. After about an hour Darcy has started to tire a bit so they head off the ice, return their skates, and find a bench where they can sit and talk. Steve continues their game of questions asking Darcy about her hometown and other Lewis Family Traditions. She shares stories of her family’s crazy antics that make Steve laugh so hard his sides begin to hurt.

“See, that is why Bucky and I want a normal Christmas so bad. Tony never had one, Bruce and Clint hardly had any good ones, and Nat’s ideas of Christmas all come from Clint. And Thor celebrates something similar to Yule, but its still fairly different. We wanted to give them something good. Tony and Pepper can’t come though, and Bruce is spending it with Betty, and you know that Jane and Thor are going to her extended family’s celebration. So it’ll be the five of us, and that will have to be good enough.”

“Sounds great to me. Maybe next year you’ll get the others,” offers Darcy with a smile. After another few minutes of resting Steve pulls Darcy to her feet and they set off, heading down the block to Fifth Avenue, which Steve had avoided earlier. Darcy squeals when she realizes where they’re might be going. “Are we going to see the windows? I haven’t been yet cause I’ve been so busy!”

“Yeah. We always went every year, just to see the lights. If we had some extra money we’d get a hot chocolate, or a sweet. It’s the one thing I managed to do that first year, since it seemed petty to avoid something that had always brought us happiness.”

They walk in a comfortable silence the rest of the way, enjoying the lights that line their path. When they reach their destination, Darcy looks all around her in wonder. They’ve stopped in front of the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue. Their display has been done in honor of the 80th anniversary of _Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,_ the LED displays stretching across the entire building. Each window was filled with scenes from the movie or clothing items that designers had created after being inspired by the film. Other stores around Saks had also decorated their windows and Darcy and Steve spent an hour just looking at all the decorations. When they’ve made their way back to Saks Darcy has a suggestion.

“You know, there’s a theater not too far from my apartment that’s reshowing _Snow White_ since it premiered in Hollywood eighty years ago. Wanna go?” Darcy tries to play it off as a nonchalant question, but she really wanted to go. How often was Disney’s first animated feature length film shown in theaters? Still if Steve didn’t want to, she could always go by herself she supposed.

“I’d love to! As much as I love being able to watch a movie from the comfort of my couch, there’s just something magical ‘bout seeing a film in the theater.” They check the time of the screening and head to the subway. They manage to make it to the theater a few minutes before the movie starts and after a quick, toothless, squabble Darcy buys the tickets and Steve buys the treats. They make it in and find their seats, as the last trailer plays and then the movie starts. As the “One Love” theme starts and the “A Walt Disney Feature Production” appears on screen Darcy can’t help but bounce up and down in her seat, or the excited tug she gives to Steve’s coat. He chuckles and gives her a happy grin back, also handing her the popcorn so he can settle in a little more.

The movie passes by quickly, the ending almost catching the two by surprise. They make their way out of the theater and then seeing that it’s almost eleven, Steve offers to walk Darcy back to her apartment. She accepts and they go off, arm in arm, discussing the movie.

“It’s as good as I remember it. Man, I wanted so badly to work for Mr. Disney. What he was doing...I just wanted so badly to make art and share it, and his films were doing that. And giving people some way to enjoy themselves.”

“Steve, why don’t you look into animation classes?”

“Oh no, I couldn’t…”

“Why not? Even if you never tried to pursue a career in it, or did very much with it, it would still be something new to try and master. When was the last time you got to just work on your art? You have a team you know, I’m sure they’d be happy to take a little more on so you didn’t have to shoulder everything.”

“I know. I just…Captain America, taking animation classes? Seems a little funny doesn’t it?” Steve shrugs; Darcy frowns, not having seen this side of him before. With the set of his shoulders, he seems to be curling in on himself and Darcy feels like she’s seeing the little Steve Rogers for the first time. She steps in closer to him, supporting him with her warmth.

“No, I don’t think it seems a little funny for you to want to learn and improve skills that really make you happy. But I don’t want to push the subject if it’s sensitive, so we’ll drop it. Do we need to do anything before Christmas?” Steve smiles at her, grateful for the change in topic.

“I don’t think so. Bucky also likes the decorations by the way, says he feels like he’s living in a snow globe. I was going to go shopping Saturday so if you send me the list for what we need for our Christmas feast, I’m happy to get everything. We’re doing gifts with everyone at ten thirty if you’d like to join us. Clint’s asked everyone to bring a game, apparently its one of the few good memories he has of Christmas and he’d like to revive the tradition. Seeing as how that’s what Buck and I are trying to do I thought we could do it. Seems like a better way to pass the time than watching football.”

“That I can do.” They stop in front of Darcy’s building and she bids him good-bye promising to send the list soon.


	4. Monday December 25th

Darcy wakes up early Christmas morning, to find snow falling softly outside her window. Pulling on an old Culver sweatshirt, she preheats the oven for the Lewis Family Traditional cinnamon rolls. She grabs a cup of coffee and sits near her tree, a movie playing softly on her TV, and eats her breakfast. After Facetiming Brian, Nicole, and the kids to see them open their presents and open the ones they had sent her, she texts Jane wishing her a merry Christmas. She reads the email her mom had sent her yesterday after Darcy had written her wishing everyone there a merry Christmas, happy to read that her grandparents were really enjoying their trip. As the clock nears the time she has to leave to go to Steve’s, she gets ready pulling on a purple shirt her niece had gotten her, and her favorite pair of black jeans. She throws a few last minute items onto the pile of things she has near the door. When she gets the notification that her Lyft is there, Darcy heads out the door, her arms filled with stuff.

Steve’s there to help her out when the car parks in front of his house and when they go inside, the house is filled with noise and laughter. Bucky, Clint, and Natasha all call out happy greetings to Darcy and she responds in kind with a laugh. She joins their half circle around the tree and passes out the presents from one of the bags she brought, and pulls out the container of still warm cinnamon rolls. The hungry superheroes grab them from her quickly, munching on them happily. Darcy’s surprised when presents get handed over to her too, two of which are wrapped in Santa paper with labels claiming to be from the jolly old man himself.

“Guess Santa knew you’d be celebrating here Darce,” Clint tells her in between bites with a wink.

They take turns unwrapping presents and Darcy is surprised with how well the presents fit her. She supposes she shouldn’t be, after all she’s been spending a lot of time with Steve and the others were spies with easy access to one of her best friends. And judging from the faces of the people before her they also weren’t expecting gifts that matched them so well, but she had done her homework through Steve and Jane. For Clint she had gotten a game called One Night Ultimate Werewolf and a Nerf bow. She had gotten Natasha a cat mug and three varieties of tea. Bucky received new copies of some of her favorite science fiction books and Steve received new art supplies and a book of Walt Disney’s animation throughout the years. She also got everyone matching Christmas sweaters, which everyone was happy to don.

After presents Steve and Darcy head to the kitchen to make dinner. Darcy is happy to break out the Lewis Family Recipes to feed her newfound friends. She’s also happy to break out the aprons that her mother had gifted to her last year, which Steve puts on good-naturedly. After a little bit the other three wander into the kitchen, drawn by the scents and the giggles they kept hearing. Soon the food is ready and they take the dishes to the table. There’s one moment Darcy was not expecting, someone had apparently seen fit to add mistletoe to the decorations that she and Steve had put up. As she was going back into the kitchen, Steve was coming out and Clint immediately called them on it.

“Well…uh, I guess it could be practice for your party?” Steve suggests, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red. Darcy just nods, feeling her own blush starting. Steve ducks down a little until their lips meet. The kiss has to be over in just a few moments but they stretch into minutes for Darcy, who returns the kiss but still holds back. When Steve moves away though it feels like it was over too quickly. Then the silence is broken with a good-natured laugh as Steve continues into the dining room and Darcy heads into the kitchen.

The rest of the day goes by quickly, as they play games and eat the leftovers of lunch for dinner. As Christmas day turns into Christmas evening they turn on some movies. Clint, Natasha, and Bucky sit together on the couch, a tangle of limbs leaving the love seat for Darcy and Steve. Before the end of the night Darcy’s snuggled up to Steve and fighting off sleep.

“Darcy, if you want you can stay here tonight and sleep on the couch?” Steve asks, as the credits of their film roll. The young woman burrows deeper into his shoulder, groaning and making sleepy noises.

“Noooo. I gotta go home. I have work tomorrow. But I’ll see you Wednesday for the party?” Darcy responds, already digging her phone out of her pocket and ordering an Uber.

“Yeah, I’ll see you then. I’ll meet you at your apartment.”

A few minutes later Darcy is being bundled into the car by a gentle Steve. She texts him when she gets home safe and as she is getting ready for bed she realizes that she’s going to be really sad when their fake relationship ends. Maybe, she muses as she sets her alarm and gets under the blankets on her bed, she’ll have to ask him out for real.

 

 


	5. Wednesday December 27th

The day of the holiday party Darcy had been given a half day, and she spent the extra time pampering herself. A stop by the nail salon, and a quick visit to the hair salon filled her morning while she made a mini-spa day at home. As the evening neared she wasn’t surprised when she heard Steve’s punctual knock. She opened the door greeting Steve. He took in her sparkly red dress that hugged her curves and hit her at her knees.

“You look great Darcy,” Steve says warmly, giving her a hug.

“You don’t look half bad yourself, handsome,” she returns, his grey suit and red tie giving him just a touch of the festive spirit. “Oh! And just so you know, Sarah’s asked that we table all policy talk tonight, so do not let anyone draw you into talk about the Accords’ appeal or Ross’ downfall.”

“Of course, whatever you’d like.”

They head off to the party, being held in a hotel near Times Square. Other UN ambassadors and their staffs had been invited as well, so the party was quite large. When Darcy and Steve first walked in, a hush fell upon the crowd as people realized Darcy had brought an Avenger as her boyfriend and they tried to determine how they were expected to react. But when Darcy introduced him as just Steve, everyone went along with it, treating him like a normal person. When Steve asked her about it, she shrugged it off.

“I dunno Steve, a lot of these people spend their time with presidents, queens, emperors, and lots of other important people. They know they aren’t magically special, and now they can add a superhero to that list.”

Dinner goes quite well, with Steve fitting in very easily. They’ve sat next to Carlos and Ryan both of who are happy to treat him like any other partygoer. After dinner, dancing begins. Steve asks Darcy to dance and he twirls her onto the dance floor. He’s quite light on his feet and Darcy can’t help but feel graceful and safe in his arms. She was about to ask him if he’d like to go out for real sometime when one of the British staffers comes by and asks her to dance. Steve encourages her to go and so, with a shrug, she lets the other man lead her away. After that first dance several other people ask Darcy to dance and having lost Steve she goes along with it.

About a half hour later Darcy begs off trying to go find her date. She finds him talking to a very irate looking Sarah. Concerned she heads over. When she reaches them Sarah is so upset she’s whisper shouting at Steve.

“I don’t know what Darcy told you tonight was about Captain Rogers, but it is certainly not about policy or trying to clear the name of your friend. I am not the only ambassador here, and you are embarrassing me.” Catching sight of Darcy, Sarah clears her throat. “Darcy, I think perhaps it is for the best that you and Captain Rogers leave.”

Cheeks flushing, Darcy nods, and grabs Steve’s arm while apologizing profusely. They make it out of the hotel before Darcy can speak.

“What the hell Steve? I told you no policy tonight!”

“I know, but you know that even with the Accords being overturned some countries are still out for Bucky’s blood. I just couldn’t do nothing!”

“Well I hope it was worth it. I definitely won’t get the promotion now! I’ll be lucky if I even get to keep my job!” Steve looks wounded when Darcy shouts this at him.

“Darcy I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“Just drop it Steve, you’ve done enough.” Darcy hails a cab passing by, and gets in closing the door roughly in Steve’s face. She gets home and composes an email to Sarah apologizing for how the night had gone. Steve’s been texting and calling shortly after she had gotten in the cab but Darcy is too mad to listen to any of his explanations. She could have helped Bucky with any leftover problems if they had just asked her; it almost felt like Steve had been using her to get close to Sarah. And even if she knew that he probably wasn’t in fact trying to use her it still hurt that he ignored her warning. When the first tears started to fall Darcy called her mom pouring out everything that had been going on.


	6. Monday December 31st, 2018

Darcy couldn’t believe _she_ was at Tony Stark’s New Year’s Eve Party. Though really that same disbelief could sum up her whole 2018. After the disastrous holiday party last year Darcy had done a lot of thinking about what she would do if Sarah fired her coming to terms with the fact that life would continue on. In the end she hadn’t but Darcy also was passed over for the promotion. It went to Carlos instead, and Darcy found that she was happy for him and not really all that upset. She had stayed on for a few more months but then Thor had come back from a brief visit home with a space ship full of Asgardians and a tale of destruction. He had asked Darcy to use her connections and skills on behalf of the Asgardian people. She had gotten them asylum while Thor searched for a realm that wouldn’t be too taxed by the addition of his people. And Tony Stark had offered her a position with the new SHIELD that he and the other Avengers were helping to create. He imagined that more beings from throughout the galaxy would be coming to Earth soon and that the answer couldn’t always be violence.

She had seen Steve a few times at a distance but after the night of the party neither of them had reached out and now it felt like too much time had passed. She had wondered, as she celebrated Christmas with her family, if the boys and Natasha were celebrating together and if they used the same decorations that year or not.

For tonight, Jane had set her up with a very nice man from the labs, and though they were having a good time Darcy didn’t think she’d ask him out for a second date. Still, when he asked her to dance she was happy to accept the offer.

Meanwhile across the ball room Steve, Sam, and Bucky sat clustered around the bar drinking. Steve had been in a foul mood since he’d seen Darcy enter on someone else’s arm. He regretted that night when he tried to talk policy with the UN ambassador. He’d just seen a chance to help Bucky, and he didn’t think his actions through. Something Bucky himself had pointed out once Steve finally spilled the sad story of what had happened between him and Darcy.

Surprisingly—or maybe not once Steve had had the chance to think about it—Darcy had helped Bucky out still, taking up his cause in her last few months, convincing Sarah that Bucky was a POW who had been tortured and in extreme distress. She had even given testimony to the UN, as someone who knew him and had interacted with him. After that Steve had called up Sarah to thank her, and apologize for his behavior. The ambassador had been friendly but was sad, telling him that Darcy had recently left to pursue other career choices, and she thought it had to do with that party. When Tony had asked him if it would be okay to bring Darcy in, Steve had heartily agreed though he had kept his distance since—Darcy was an adult and could contact him if she felt like it.

When it had come time to decorate for Christmas Steve thought about buying different decorations, but shocked that he would go that far for someone who had really only been in his life for a few days, Steve put them up anyways and enjoyed a bittersweet holiday compared to the one he had had the year before. That was why tonight, coupled with his reaction upon seeing her with someone else, he was going to speak his mind before letting Darcy go forever. Seeing that the clock ticked ever closer to midnight, he drained his drink and stood up, heading to the dance floor to steal a dance from Darcy.

Darcy felt a tap on her shoulder and turned, astonished to see Steve standing there, looking a little awkward. He mumbled something to her about a dance, and after a second’s hesitation Darcy said yes. Steve took her hand and they left Darcy’s date on the side of the dance floor, his mouth open in confusion.

“It’s nice to see you again, Steve,” Darcy starts, not sure what she should actually say to him.

“Is it? I…I don’t want to have to do the polite shuffle around you Darcy. The last time we actually saw and talked to one another was awkward as hell.”

“Well…yes, but it _is_ nice to see you. And sure, its also awkward but the two feelings can coexist.”

“That’s true enough. I know I certainly feel both right now. Look, I just wanted to say that I am really sorry that I didn’t listen to you last year. And that I didn’t just ask you for help. I should have and I realized that way too late. I’ve also realized that it maybe looked like I was using you to get access to Sarah, and I’m sorry for that too. You had done me a huge favor by helping us navigate a modern Christmas and I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain. I’m sorry if I ended up costing you the promotion, or made things awkward at your place of employment. Um…I really like you and miss you a lot, and Christmas this year was a lot less fun without you. I’d-I’d like to take you out on a date, that we both agreed was a real date and not a practice one. Oh-and I’d like to be the one to kiss you at midnight tonight instead of your date, but I understand if any of that is too much. Especially considering that this is the first time we’ve actually talked in over a year.”

Darcy stares at him for a minute before asking, “Did you even breath anywhere in there?”

“Uh, I think so?”

“Steve, thank you for the apology. But I have one of my own to make. I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain yourself, but mostly I’m sorry that when I realized I wasn’t mad anymore and that I missed you I didn’t reach out. But so much time had passed and-”

“No, its okay. We both could have done better. Agreed?” When Darcy nods, Steve breaks out into a huge smile, though it drops when he realizes she hasn’t mentioned the other half of his confession. “And uh, the other stuff I said?”

Looking over to her date to see if she’d need to make another apology she sees him with a redhead hanging on to his arm looking far more besotted with him than Darcy had been able to manage. He catches Darcy’s eye and shrugs then waves at Steve as if to say they had both traded for someone better. She rolls her eyes but turns back to face Steve. “I’ve also really missed you, and I would much prefer kissing you on midnight than Eddie. And I would also really like to date you for real.”

A few minutes later they’ve gathered with the other Avengers on the balcony, counting down the seconds until the New Year. When the fireworks start to go off, and the cheering from Times Square could be heard, Steve dips Darcy into a searing kiss, deepening it when their friends begin to cheer them on. Darcy smiles into the kiss and holds on tight, sure that 2019 would be filled with as many surprises as 2018 had been.


End file.
